


Pizza Parley

by misura



Category: Iron Man (Movies)
Genre: Coming Out, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-01-19
Updated: 2014-01-19
Packaged: 2018-01-09 06:47:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 879
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1142790
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/misura/pseuds/misura
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"Press conference?" Pepper asked, at the same time Rhodey said: "At <i>ten</i>?"</p><p>Their tones were so much alike, it was sort of adorable.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Pizza Parley

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Wallwalker](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Wallwalker/gifts).



> um, so I found this in a folder on my computer somewhere and it had your name on it, but I don't actually know which occasion I wrote this for or why I didn't post it _then_ , except that maybe I forgot or something, because I'm chaotic like that sometimes?
> 
> (some rare-ish pairings fest, maybe?)

"Okay," Tony said, while Pepper tried to block the cameras' view of her plate (an exercise in futility if Tony had ever seen one). "So I'm thinking: press conference, tomorrow morning at ten?"

"Press conference?" Pepper asked, at the same time Rhodey said: "At _ten_?"

Their tones were so much alike, it was sort of adorable. Or sad, because after years of living the life of the wild and the free, it turned out that maybe Tony did have a type after all, and it was the 'conventional, thinking-inside-the-box' type.

"You're right, let's make it eleven," he told Rhodey, who was at least being sensible about the bit where his dinner was going to show up on the eight o'clock evening news. (It was a nice dinner. New York Pizza's finest.)

" _Tony!_ "

"What?" Tony said. "He's right. Eleven - we sleep in, maybe get some breakfast in bed. Ten - no sleeping in, no breakfast in bed. Simple." It might be even better to set it at twelve, but then it might get in the way of lunch. Tony didn't mind, but Pepper was a real stickler about stuff like that.

"A _press conference_?"

"It's when you get up in front of a lot of very nosy people and, you know, talk to them," Tony said. "Voluntarily."

Pepper frowned at him. Rhodey put on his 'you're like two seals fighting over a grape and I'm just an ice berg floating by' face. "I know what a press conference is, Tony. I just don't know why you want to have one."

"You don't - I thought it was obvious. Wasn't it obvious?" Tony summoned forth his 'yeah, nice try, buddy, but you're in this thing, same as me, so just roll with it' expression.

"Maybe you should explain," Rhodey said, very neatly sidestepping the underlying question regarding his own powers of observation.

"All right. I can do that." Tony turned back to Pepper. "It's about our relationship."

"Oh. Our relationship. Well, thanks so much for explaining, Tony. Now I understand completely."

On the downside, there was a strong sense of sarcasm. On the upside, there had been dimples. Tony liked dimples. "I just think, people want to know. People _deserve_ to know."

Pepper shook her head. "No." Because clearly, that head-shaking might have been interpreted as a 'yes, sure, let's do that, Tony' otherwise, without additional verbal clarification.

"Freedom of information, Pep," Tony said. "It's an important American value."

"No."

"It'll be fun." Not that _that_ argument had ever done him much good with her, but still.

"Tony, I'm not going to - get up in front of a bunch of strangers and tell them about my personal life. That's _personal_."

"Just leave the talking to me," Tony said. "You and Rhodey can simply stand there and look pretty. That'll work. You know what, it might even be better if you don't say anything."

Rhodey grimaced. "Because of plausible deniability?"

"Exactly the word I was looking for," Tony said. "Except not really. What were you hoping to deny, anyway? That you only want me for my mind? I don't think anyone's going to buy that, honey bear."

"I would," Pepper said, but Tony knew that what she was really saying was 'no' to the press conference. Again.

"Look, it's either this, or leaving them to make up the story for themselves. Is that what you want? Because based on previous experiences, that's probably going to get ugly." Entertaining, but ugly. Tony wasn't particularly worried about himself, but Pepper might get hurt, and then Rhodey would feel compelled to do something foolish and righteous, and then Tony would have to waste a lot of time and effort patching things up again. "People might start to think you're easy. Or that I'm not. Or that Rhodey here is just following orders."

Rhodey frowned.

"You're very good at following orders," Tony soothed. "It's one of your many excellent qualities. Right up there with looking great in a uniform." Although Rhodey looked even better _out_ of one. "Anyway, I thought I'd keep it low-key. Casual. Not too many details - just a few to give them a taste. Like how you like to be kissed - " Rhodey kicked him under the table.

"I do like to be kissed," Pepper said, and the dimples were back. "In private."

"I lean over right now, you're going to slap me?"

"I might."

"You wouldn't," Tony said.

" _I_ might," Rhodey said.

"Ah." Tony leaned back and considered what to do about dessert. "Jealousy."

Rhodey laughed. It looked good on him, really; Tony should try to make him do it more often. (So many projects, so little time and cooperation.) "You have got nothing for me to be jealous about, Tony."

"Well, I don't like to brag, but - "

"You love to brag."

"Point taken," Tony said, because sometimes, it was better to be generous. "And about this press conference: I've got it, okay? Trust me. I know what I'm doing."

"Now I'm really worried," Pepper said.

Rhodey toasted her with his can of 'let me show you how much fun I can be without any alcohol' soda.

Tony wondered why he put up with them, and then, when he remembered, decided that dessert would be a dish best served back at the mansion, in private.


End file.
